My girlfriend and I checked out Blackbutt reserve today, six km’s from the centre of Newcastle near Lambton and Kotara. There are some great wildlife exhibits there including birds, koalas, wombats and more and regular shows. If you like getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, its a close national park with some awesome bushwalks. They are short walks, under 5km, but they are nice and paths are good. If you are in the area and need a nice walk or an escape to nature, check it out! Thumbs up from me! My only advice is bring some iced drinking water.